Please allow me to gush for a moment, because it is not something I’m usually inclined to do …

I truly enjoy using my little 11″ MacBook Air; it is the computer that I grab when I don’t want to be tied to a desk. I use it on the couch, I use it outside on our deck, and sometimes I use it “just because” … and when it’s time to travel, I typically toss my Air inside whatever bag I happen to be carrying. The 11″ Air is the most totable (while remaining usable) laptop that I have ever owned.

While I prefer to keep my Air inside a protective sleeve when it’s being carried, I’ve often found that the bag I’m using will dictate whether or not that will be practical. In a larger tote, I can use just about any sleeve without a second thought. But when I carry a sleeker bag, I have to decide if my Air will travel naked, or if I’ll bundle it in a more padded case and carry it separately. It’s not a major decision to make in the grand scheme of things, but it has always been a consideration.

No longer.

Bear in mind that when my Air is inside a bag, my goal isn’t to protect it from being dropped or dinged, because I figure my bag will ultimately do that; I’m more concerned about the Air getting scratched by what it rubs against while inside the bag. So with that in mind, you can see that the sleeve I use doesn’t necessarily need to be thick or padded, it just needs to be protective.

I was recently sent the Beyzacases MacBook Air 11″ Zero Series Case, and well … it has blown me away.

The small embossed Beyzacases logo is subtle and classy

Composed of the same thin black pebble-grained leather with contrasting red stitching as the Zero Series iPhone 4 Case I recently reviewed; on such a large sleeve this leather is even more floppy, softer and more sumptuous. And did I mention incredibly light? The weight of this sleeve is nearly imperceptible when held on its own. It’s amazing.

The back side of the sleeve has “beyzacases” embossed in silver. On such a large leather surface, I don’t find this logo to be at all intrusive.

As with the iPhone 4 Zero Series Case, the interior of this laptop sleeve is lined in a soft red Alcantara fabric [which is like a man-made suede], similar to the lining on some Louis Vuitton bags. This lining will protect the Air from scratches, and the leather is thick enough that it should protect the Air from light dings, but I wouldn’t trust it to protect the laptop from a serious drop or crushing.

The Air fits snugly inside the sleeve, and the overall feeling is that the laptop has been placed in a custom-made glove.

This picture should give you an idea of how well-fitted and thin the leather is: those bumps that you see poking through the sleeve are my Air’s round rubber feet.

The Beyzacases Zero Series Case is one of the most elegant, most sumptuous, and yet most simple MacBook Air sleeves I have ever tried. I think that it will be nearly impossible for another case-maker to create something as fine as this, and just as impossible for me to stop using this one; this is easily my most favorite MacBook Air sleeve yet.

The Beyzacases MacBook Air 11″ Zero Series Case is available directly from the manufacturer; it comes in red, black, and tan.

MSRP: €69.95

What I Like: Allows me to carry the Air inside all of my bags; incredibly thin and light while being perfectly fitted; sumptuous leather that fits the MacBook Air like a second skin

What Needs Improvement: Does not offer much protection in case of a serious drop or crushing

I've had a fascination with all types of gadgets and gizmos since I was a child, beginning with the toy robot that my grandmother gave my brother - which I promptly "relieved him of" in 1973. I'm a self-confessed gadget magpie. I can't tell you how everything works, but I'm known world-wide for using a product until I have a full understanding of what it does, what its limitations are, and if it excels in any given area ... or not.